Buying On Ebay

I completely agree with shermae. I never bid with more than 5-10 seconds left. (I've been buying stamps on ebay since 1999).

I have been on ebay since the beginning of ebay. I put my bid for what I am willing to pay, and let it go. If it goes over that, don't care. If I get it at what I feel is a fair price, my win.

While bidding in the last few seconds can limit shill bidding it certainly does not prevent it. If a seller has multiple accounts or a friend who is willing to shill bid, simply placing a high bid anytime during the bidding will 'protect' the listing from going off at less than they want. So bidding at last second prevent a new shill bid but does nothing for a standing shill bid that has been placed there days before.

So the best strategy is as follows; bid what the listing worth to you and never a dime more. Support APS and ASDA venders since you then have some recourse. Do not let your emotions seduce you into buying what appears to be a 'bargain' on ebay. 8 times out of 10 those bargains on ebay are not really bargains at all. Generally speaking, if you want investment quality material then you are going to pay premium. (If you want a good investment from ebay then consider buying Dennison hinges.) Many sellers are making a living preying upon collectors who falsely believe that can uncover the bargains.

Now if you want cheaper stamps as space fillers then go for it and consider your purchase like a lottery ticket. ebay is like Las Vegas; you hear plenty of stories about folks who go and made some money but the reality is that very few people actually strike it rich. If you just enjoy the trip, the experience, the gamble, then you won't feel too bad when you realize how much money you have actually spent.